CSWPL Premier Division
Ivybridge Town can look forward with confidence to next Tuesday's visit of Saltash United following their 3-1 victory over Tavistock on Tuesday night.
Saltash, currently three places above Ivybridge in eighth, will come to play and the game promises to be a cracker as a rejuvenated Town will look to build on their weekday triumph. The match is at the Erme Valley Stadium and will kick off at 7.30pm.
The performance, described by Town general manager Brian Howard as their best since Christmas, provided a much-needed confidence boost following a poor run of form which included defeat to Camelford last Saturday.
Howard called the Camelford match a game of few chances, but one he felt that the home side deserved to win.
He said: 'There wasn't a great deal in it, neither side's 'keeper was called on to make many saves, but they took their chances and we didn't.'
Town hit the post in the first half and squandered a gilt-edged chance in the second to leave themselves still winless in 2013.
Gladly for the club, all that was forgotten on Tuesday night as a rejigged formation saw Mark Berry drop into the midfield and Mike Scott and Stuart Morgan be brought in.
Both of them had excellent games, Scott bagging himself a brace, but for Howard the star of the game was young defender Jordan Pearce.
Pearce put in a great shift, including a fantastic through-ball to release Truelove which led to the second goal. One significant blot on his copybook, however, came with ten minutes to go.
Tavistock challenged the Ivybridge 'keeper in what Howard felt was a definite foul, the ball fell to the floor and was poked in by a Tavvy attacker to claw a goal back for the beleaguered visitors.
An incensed Pearce then made his feelings over the decision abundantly clear to the linesman, in such a way that the assistant referee felt he had no choice but to show him a red card.
Howard was disappointed by what he felt was an unnecessary intervention by his player, but was pleased that Pearce chose to text coach Nicky Marker afterwards to apologise for his actions.
It took Town just 25 minutes to get a two-goal lead, with Mike Scott opening the scoring for the Bridgers before Pearce released Truelove, who was bundled over in the area.
Todd Hanrahan stepped up to smash home the resulting penalty to double Ivybridge's advantage.
In the second half Scott was on hand to tap in after a fierce strike by Mark Berry proved too hot for the Tavvy 'keeper to handle.
It looked as if Ivy were on course for a clean sheet before the dubious Tavistock goal which so infuriated the talented young defender Pearce.